ORNITHOLOGY. 29 



catcher (Myiobius) may be noticed. From the 

 gi'eat preponderance in most countries of certain 

 common genera of birds, such as the finches, one 

 feels at first surprised at meeting with the pecuhar 

 forms above enumerated, as the commonest birds 

 in any district. In central Chile, two of them, 

 namely, the Oxyurus and Scytalopus, occur, al- 

 though most rarely. When finding, as in this case, 

 animals which seem to play so insignificant a part 

 in the great scheme of nature, one is apt to wonder 

 why they were created. But it should always be 

 recollected, that in some other country, perhaps, 

 they are essential membei's of society, or at some 

 former period may have been so. If America, 

 south of 37°, were sunk beneath the waters of the 

 ocean, these two birds might continue to exist in 

 central Chile for a long period, but it is very im- 

 probable that their numbers would increase. We 

 should then see a case which must inevitably have 

 happened with very many animals. 



These southern seas are frequented by several 

 species of Petrels : the largest kind, Procellaria 

 gigantea, or nelly (quebrantahuesos, or break-bones 

 of the Spaniards), is a common bird, both in the 

 inland channels and on the open sea. In its habits 

 and manner of flight there is a very close resem- 

 blance with the albaU'oss ; and as with the alba- 

 tross, a person may watch it for hours together 

 without seeing on what it feeds. The " break- 

 bones" is, however, a rapacious bird, for it was ob- 

 served by some of the officers at Port St. Antonio 

 chasing a diver, which tried to escape by diving 

 and flying, but was continually struck down, and 

 at last killed by a blow on its head. At Port St. 

 Julian these gi-eat petrels were seen killing and 

 devouring young gulls. A second species (Puffinus 

 cinereus), which is common to Europe, Cape Horn, 

 C 2 



